Cigar conveyor

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for orienting rectangularly shaped cigars carried on a walking beam structure wherein a spring finger mechanism is provided for engaging the upper surface of cigars which are incorrectly positioned to rotate the cigar about its longitudinal axis as it is moved on the walking beam.

United States Patent Inventor Frank liollenton Richmond, Va. Appl. No. 794,638 Filed Jan. 28, 1969' Patented July 6, I971 Assignee AMF Incorporated CIGAR CONVEYOR 9 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

11.8. CI. 198/33 AD,

. 198/34 Int. Cl. 865g 47/14 Field of Search 214/334, 34; 193/43 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,647,614 8/1953 MacNamaram. 198/33 (.4) 3,100,562 8/1963 Whelan 198/33 (.4) 3,156,343 11/1964 Parlatore 198/34 Primary Examiner-Robert G. Sheridan An0rneys-George W. Price and Eli Weiss ABSTRACT: Apparatus for orienting rectangularly shaped cigars carried on a walking beam structure wherein a spring finger mechanism is provided for engaging the upper surface of cigars which are incorrectly positioned to rotate the cigar about its longitudinal axis as it is moved on the walking beam.

PATENIEU JUL 6 Ian SHEET 1 OF 3 INVEN'I'OR.

%J vm/ I 1 QNP NW M 1 f s K 00M 00 0 000 606 m Q SP. 0 o o o m 4 3 3 u Q M w i. Q NM R a #2 m9; 0 o w w u R TTOR EY CIGAR CONVEYOR The present invention relates to apparatus for orienting cigars on a conveyor feeding the same to a cellophane wrapping machine or the like.

In US. Pat. No. 3,l 56,343 to N. R. Parlatore dated Nov. 10, 1964, there is disclosed apparatus for receiving a plurality of cigars from a storage or other accumulating device, separating the same into individual units and conveying the separated units serially into a cellophane machine. This apparatus has had wide success and large numbers of them have been sold and are in current use. However, the recent drive to automate cigar plants and lessen the cost of producing cigars has created certain problems in the adaption of this apparatus to handle rectangularly cross-sectional cigars. Under such plans it is intended to provide inline methods for shaping, curing and drying cigars. Consequently, the rectangular cigars can be transported to the cellophane wrapping machine directly by air or other suitable conveyors without the need for storage and accumulation. As a result the cigars may be received at the cellophaning machine in a random, disoriented condition with respect to their cross section. The cigar will then be overwrapped with cellophane and picture band askew. As is well known, the cigars must be properly overwrapped and handed in order to satisfy the very critical consumer. Therefore it is essential that the cigars be correctly oriented.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device which enables the elimination of the accumulator and storage device and permits the feeding of rectangular cigars directly to the infeed of a cellophane wrap.

It is a further object to provide a device to insure proper orientation of cigars during feeding.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide an improvement to the apparatus disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,l56,343, which will insure the proper orientation of cigars.

Other objects, as well as the advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the foregoing description in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a schematic view of apparatus of the type shown in US Pat. No. 3,156,343.

FIG. 2a is a partial view of a cigar overwrapped in cellophane and having a band applied in proper orientation.

FIG. 2b is a similar view having the band applied on a misoriented cigar;

FIG. 3 is a view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 incorporating the device of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 3; and,

FIGS. 5 and 6 are enlarged partial views of the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4 showing its operation;

Turning to FIG. 1, the device shown is a schematic representation of the apparatus depicted in the aforementioned patent showing the effect of random feeding and their misorientation. In the cigar feeding and separating device illustrated in this Figure the cigars C are received in the form of a row of side by side articles on a feed plate 10. It will be noted that with the random feed some cigars are received lying on their short side (as seen at C,) while others are lying on their long side (as seen at C, The preferred orientation is with the cigars lying on their longer side. The row is advanced by movement of the incoming cigars or other suitable means such as a reciprocating plunger (not shown) until the leading cigar contacts a stop block 12 which is secured to the top face of plate 10. By a walking beam rake 14, the cigars C are separated and serially advanced in indexing fashion along the remainder of the plate with their axes parallel and transverse to the plate until they are stopped by wall 16 where they are individually raised by an elevator mechanism 18 and inserted within a waiting wrapping machine mechanism T. The cellophane wrapping mechanism comprises a rotating turret, having a plurality of jaw mechanisms 1, which index after reception of the cigar in the direction of arrow A through a number of stations where the cigar is successively overwrapped with cellophane and indicia band B.

The walking beam rake 14 comprises a pair of moveable opposed rails 18 located below and to either side of the plate 10 extending from the stop block 12 almost to the wall 16. Extending vertically upward from each rail 18 are a plurality of spaced parallel tines 20 with the first or rearward tine in each rail formed into a flat cigar elevating platform 22. By suitable mechanism, the rake structure is caused to sequentially rise and lift the leading cigar on platform 22 above the level of the stop block 12, index forwardly toward the turret T in a fixed horizontal plane then downwardly normal to the plate 10, depositing the cigar thereon, then indexing rearwardly to its initial starting position below the level of plate 10. By subsequent cyclical operation of the rake 14, the row of cigars C are separated and one by one sequentially advanced. The cigars are carried forward stepwise as the rake rails 20 rises and descends until each reaches the position below the turret T.

A holddown device 24 is provided to retard the next to the leading cigar and a spring loaded finger 26, which moves with the rake 14 as it indexes, is provided to prevent the leading cigar from moving off the platform 22. Additionally, a pair of depending freely hanging chains 28, supported by blocks 30 above the plate 10, are provided to exert a constant hold on the cigars as they are carried along by the rake. The chains 28 may, if desired, be replaced by a pair of foam plastic or rubber shoes of similar shape and size which would also exert a resilient holding pressure on the cigars.

Full details of the construction of the rake apparatus will be found in US. Pat. No. 3,156,343 which is incorporated herein as if more fully set forth. It will, however, be appreciated from the description here that the cigars are serially carried in stepwise fashion along the support plate to the turret and inserted therein in exactly the same orientation in which they were received on the infeed plate 10. Consequently, if banded, the cigars will be overwrapped with bands in random fashion.

Cigar bands are sized and designed to fit one dimension of the cigar accurately and properly so they may be further uniformly boxed or packaged. A properly oriented cigar ac cepts the band squarely and smoothly about its periphery, as seen in FIG. 20. An improperly oriented cigar will cause the band to overhang or protrude, as seen in FIG. 2b. In the latter case, not only will the cigar have a very bad appearance but the overhanging band will interfere with and prevent the proper automatic machine insertion of the cigar into a box or package.

The novel mechanism for insuring proper orientation and or reorienting improperly positioned cigars in accordance with this invention is shown in FIGS. 36 wherein those elements corresponding to those of the prior apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1, bear like reference numerals.

In accordance with the present invention, there is mounted above the level of the depending chains 28 and to the forward and aft supporting blocks 30, a pair of opposed rods 32. As seen in FIG. 4, each of the rods are mounted outwardly, of the chains 28, so as not to interfere with their movement or with the vertical movement of the rake I4 and are cutaway at their rear to permit an excess degree of vertical movement of the cigar. A pair of elongated flexible metallic spring members 34 which can have bifurcated or slotted forward end 36 are mounted to the forward block 30 by a suitable screw fastener 38. The springs are consequently adjustable along the run of the conveyor. The rearward end 40 of each spring 36 is curved upward to present a rounded surface and the whole of the spring is curved so that the rearward end 40 depends into the normal path of the cigars approximately between the second and third tine of the indexing of the rake. The undersurface of each spring 34, at its forward end, is provided with a foamlike material 42 such as rubber or polyurethane which has a relatively high coefficient of friction with regard to cigar leaf.

A height adjustment mechanism mounted to the upper edge of each rod 32 is provided to position the spring 34 the desired distance above the conveyor 10. The height adjustment mechanism comprises a lever 44 mounted for horizontal reciprocal movement by screw fasteners 46 to the rod 32 and has an upper corner 48 adapted to engage the lower surface of the spring 34. Finally, the surface of the rake between the second and third tine is provided with a foamlike surface 50 similar to that employed on the spring 34 to provide a frictional surface on the lower side of the cigar.

In operation, the position of the spring 34 along the longitudinal axis of the conveyor is set by adjustment of the spring beneath fastener 38 and along a vertical axis by adjustment of lever 44. By preferred adjustment the forward end 40 of the spring 34 should be made to lie a vertical distance from the conveyor table 10 at least equal to the height of a properly positioned cigar (see FIG. 3) but less than the height of an improperly positioned cigar (see FIG. 5). The curved end 40 should also be made to depend between the second and third tine. Consequently, as the cigars are indexed or moved along the table 10, the properly positioned cigars, as seen in HO. 3, will pass beneath the spring without interference, but the improperly positioned cigar, as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, will be obstructed by the foam surface 42 of the spring and the rake surface 50. As the rake continues its movement the spring 34, plate and rake cooperate to cause the cigar to be rotated counterclockwise from its short side to its longer side and thus into proper position.

To avoid any possibility of damage to the cigar as it is rotated, it may be advisable to resiliently mount the plate 10. On the other hand the plate 10 may be split as shown at 52, beneath the spring 34. ln this manner the plate 110, secured at its end in cantilevered action, will yield as the cigar rotates about its longitudinal axis, as seen in FIG. 6. The undercut portion of the rod 32, at its rear end, accommodates the moving cigar as its effective height changes.

The structure thus provides a very resilient, flexible turning means for misoriented cigars which will properly position cigars serially fed along a conveyor mechanism. Damage to the cigar or excessive handling thereof is avoided. Various modifications can be made particularly to the form, size and shape of the spring member or the employment of the friction pad at either the walking beam or spring pivots. Further, the present device is readily adaptable to other versions of cigar conveyors with or without the particular form of walking beam propelling mechanism shown. Consequently, the preceding description is intended as an illustration of the present invention, the scope of which should only be limited by the claims appended hereto.

What l claim is:

l. Apparatus for orienting rectangularly cross-sectioned cigars on a conveyor having means for supporting a plurality of separated cigars lying with their axes transverse to the line of movement of said conveyor comprising rake means sequentially operable for serially carrying said cigars stepwise along said support means, at least one resilient finger mounted above said support means to clear cigars lying on their longer cross-sectional side and to obstruct the movement of such cigars when lying on their shorter cross-sectional side, said finger, said support means and said rake means being cooperable during movement thereof to cause said obstructed cigar to rotate and lie on its longer crosssectional side.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of said resilient finger above the level of said supporting surface.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 including means for adjusting the resilient finger along the length of said supporting table.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said finger and said rake means are provided with friction means for engaging said cigar.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said supporting means are resiliently mounted so as to be vertically movable during rotation of said cigar so as to compensate for changes in height thereof.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said supporting means is split and separated into two parts beneath said resilient finger, said parts being supported in cantilevered fashion from ends opposite said split thereby being resilient beneath said finger.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said resilient finger comprises an elongated curved metallic spring, said spring being fastened at one end above said supporting means and its other end being free and extending into the path of said cigars.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 including a movable lever mounted beneath said curved spring and engaging its under surface, said lever being adjustably positioned so that on engaging the undersurface of said spring said spring is adjustably positioned above the supporting plate.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said spring is provided with an elongated slot at its one end and is fastened with screw means thereby being adjustably positionable along the axis of said conveyor. 

1. Apparatus for orienting rectangularly cross-sectioned cigars on a conVeyor having means for supporting a plurality of separated cigars lying with their axes transverse to the line of movement of said conveyor comprising rake means sequentially operable for serially carrying said cigars stepwise along said support means, at least one resilient finger mounted above said support means to clear cigars lying on their longer crosssectional side and to obstruct the movement of such cigars when lying on their shorter cross-sectional side, said finger, said support means and said rake means being cooperable during movement thereof to cause said obstructed cigar to rotate and lie on its longer cross-sectional side.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 including means for adjusting the position of said resilient finger above the level of said supporting surface.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 including means for adjusting the resilient finger along the length of said supporting table.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said finger and said rake means are provided with friction means for engaging said cigar.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said supporting means are resiliently mounted so as to be vertically movable during rotation of said cigar so as to compensate for changes in height thereof.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said supporting means is split and separated into two parts beneath said resilient finger, said parts being supported in cantilevered fashion from ends opposite said split thereby being resilient beneath said finger.
 7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said resilient finger comprises an elongated curved metallic spring, said spring being fastened at one end above said supporting means and its other end being free and extending into the path of said cigars.
 8. The apparatus according to claim 7 including a movable lever mounted beneath said curved spring and engaging its under surface, said lever being adjustably positioned so that on engaging the undersurface of said spring said spring is adjustably positioned above the supporting plate.
 9. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said spring is provided with an elongated slot at its one end and is fastened with screw means thereby being adjustably positionable along the axis of said conveyor. 